Adjacent and separable containers

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a system to separably connect a multiple of containers to each other. Each of the containers has a cover lid press-fitted thereon. Each of the cover lids has diametrically opposed extensions thereon. One of the extensions has a downward lug thereon. The opposite extension has an opening therein to accommodate the lug of the opposite extension. In order to connect two of more containers to each other the lug on one of the lids is inserted into the opening of the adjacent lid and pressed therein. Thereby two or more adjacent containers may be connected to each other but can be separated by removing the lug on one of the lids from the opening in the adjacent lid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a modification of the inventive method designed to test contaminants in soil or liquid and the approved container and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,156,786. This patent is directed to a method of testing soil or liquid specimens specifically for volatile gasoline, diesel or dry cleaning organic contaminants in a specialized selective method. Disclosed is a specific method and container system consisting of one or more containers that are hermetically sealed and, if necessary, are connected to each other by the way of a common male and female connecting element. It has been found that under various testing conditions that the individual containers should still be connected to each other but in a separable mode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The inventive concept involves the specially modified containers of the above mentioned Patent that may be connected to each other, but are also separable from each other. Each of the modified containers has a hermetically sealed lid attached on top. Each of the lids had a diametrically opposed fastening means which consists of male and female connecting elements. The container is utilized for the accumulation, extraction and testing of headspace vapor. A specific aliquot or quantity of soil or water (approximately 6 to 8 ounces) is placed into the testing container or compartment (depending on the required testing method), sealed and allowed to off-gas (build up headspace vapor) in the upper portion of the container.

The headspace vapor is allowed to accumulate for a given time period at a temperature range between 68° and 90° F. The accumulated headspace vapor is then tested with a calibrated organic vapor analyzer (OVA) equipped with either a flame ionization detector (FID) or photo ionization detector (PID).

With the OVA in FID survey mode the first sample container is tested with the OVA in the survey mode without a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter to obtain a total organic vapor headmace reading. Then a second container is tested with a GAC filter to adsorb/filter out the organic contaminant/hydrocarbon vapors and allow most naturally occurring gas (mainly methane) to be recorded. The filtered reading is then subtracted from the total reading to obtain a methane-corrected (total organic contaminant) reading which is considered representative of the contaminant/hydrocarbon content of the sample for field or general screening purposes.

With the OVA in PID survey mode the sample container is tested with the OVA without a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter to obtain a representative organic vapor headspace reading. It is not necessary to use a GAC filter to screen the sample(s) to obtain a corrected organic vapor reading. Photoionization detectors use high-energy ultraviolet light from a lamp housed within the detector as a source of energy used to remove an electron from neutrally charged VOC molecules, producing a flow of electrical current proportional to the concentration of contaminant thus giving as representative contaminant reading.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates two containers connected to each other by the way of snapped on lids.

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the snapped on lid.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the cover lids snapped to each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates containers 1 and 2 connected to each other by way of the cover lids 3 and 4, respectively, which are snapped onto each container. Both of the lids 3 and 4 have diametrically opposed lateral extensions (5 and 8 thereon). The extension 5 has a depending lug 6 extending downwardly. The lateral extension 8, which is diametrically opposed from the lateral extension 5, has an opening 9 therein. The opening 9 is sized to receive the downwardly extending lug 6 therein in a press fitting manner.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section through one of the lids either 3 or 4. The same reference numerals have applied to the various elements explained with regard to FIG. 1. It should be noted that the downwardly extending lug 9 has a slight clip 10 extending there from. This will aid in the proper retention of the lids once attached to each other, although the lug 9 could still be pressed out of the opening 9 of the adjacent lid.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the adjacent lids connected to each other. The same reference numerals have been applied as were discussed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The tops of the lids could be provided with variously sizes holes 11 for the use of OVA probes.

The shape of the containers in the above presentation has been shown as circular.

The above description shows how two containers are separable but connected to each other. However, it can be foreseen that a multiple of containers can be connected to each other as a certain project may require. The containers in the above description are shown tapered downwardly. The snapped on cover will operate in the same mannner, which is, connected to each other. 

1-3. (canceled)
 4. A system for separably connecting adjacent containers to each other comprising: each of said containers having a cover lid snap-fitted thereon, and each of the lids having diametrically opposed extensions thereon, with one of the extensions having a downwardly extending lug and the opposite extension having a completely bounded opening to accommodate the downwardly extending lug, whereby an adjacent, second container having a second lid thereon is connected to a first container by pressing the downwardly extending lug of a first lid of the first container into the opening of the second lid, thereby connecting the first and second containers together.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein a multiple of containers can be separably connected to each other.
 6. The system of claim 4, wherein the downwardly extending lug has an outwardly extending clip thereon to aid in the retention of the downwardly extending lug in the opening of the second lid. 